§21Σαφεῖς δὲ μάλιστα αἱ φωναὶ γίγνονται παρὰ τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τὴν τῶν φθόγγων.
Voices become clearest by virtue of the precision of the sounds.
Ἀδύνατον γὰρ μὴ τελέως τούτων διηρθρωμένων τὰς φωνὰς εἶναι σαφεῖς, καθάπερ καὶ τὰς τῶν δακτυλίων σφραγῖδας, ὅταν μὴ διατυπωθῶσιν ἀκριβῶς.
For it is impossible, if these are not perfectly articulated, for the voices to be clear, just like the seal-impressions of rings when they are not precisely molded.
Διόπερ οὔτε τὰ παιδία δύνανται διαλέγεσθαι σαφῶς, οὔτε οἱ μεθύοντες, οὔτε οἱ γέροντες, οὔθʼ ὅσοι φύσει τραυλοὶ τυχάνουσιν ὄντες, οὔθʼ ὅλως ὅσων εἰσὶν αἱ γλῶτται καὶ τὰ στόματα δυσκίνητα.
Therefore, neither children can speak clearly, nor the drunken, nor the old, nor those who happen to be naturally lisping, nor in general those whose tongues and mouths are difficult to move.
§22Ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ τὰ χαλκεῖα καὶ τὰ κέρατα συνηχοῦντα ποιεῖ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ὀργάνων φθόγγους σαφεστέρους, οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς διατοῦ λέκτου πολλὴν ἀσάφειαν ἀπεργάζεται τὰ ἐκπίπτοντα τῶν πνευμάτων ἐκ τοῦ στόματος, ὅταν μὴ διατυπωθῶσιν ὁμοίως.
For just as bronze vessels and horns, by vibrating in sympathy, make the sounds from instruments clearer, so too in the case of speech, the breaths escaping from the mouth produce much indistinctness when they are not similarly molded.
§23Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐαντῶν τινὰ παρεμφαίνουσιν ἀσάφειαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς διηρθρωμένους τῶν φθόγγων ἐμποδίζουσιν, ἀνομοίας αὐτῶν γιγνομένης τῆς περὶ τὴν ἀκοὴν κινήσεως.
And not only do they show some indistinctness of their own, but they also obstruct the articulated sounds, since the movement of them around the hearing becomes dissimilar.
Διὸ καὶ μᾶλλον ἑνὸς ἀκούοντες συνίεμεν ἢ πολλῶν ἅμα ταὐτὰ λεγόντων, καθάπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χορδῶν· καὶ πολὺ ἧττον, ὅταν προσαυλῇ τις ἅμα καὶ κιθαρίζῃ, διὰ τὸ συγχεῖσθαι τὰς φωνὰς ὑπὸ τῶν ἑτέρων.
Therefore, we understand better when hearing one person than many speaking the same things at the same time, just as is the case with strings; and much less when someone plays the aulos and the cithara at the same time, because the sounds are confused by one another.
§24Οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν συμφωνιῶν φανερόν ἐστιν· ἀμφοτέρους γὰρ ἀποκρύπτεσθαι τοὺς ἤχους συμβαίνει ὑπʼ ἀλλήλων.
And this is not least manifest in the case of consonances; for it happens that both sounds are obscured by each other.
Ἀσαφεῖς μὲν οὖν φωναὶ γίγνονται διὰ τὰς εἰρημένας αἰτίας, λαμπραὶ δὲ γίνονται καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν χρωμάτων· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τὰ μάλιστα δυνάμενα τὰς ὄψεις κινεῖν, ταῦτα εἶναι συμβαίνει τῶν χρωμάταων λαμπρότατα.
Now, indistinct voices are produced for the reasons mentioned, but bright voices are produced just as in the case of colors; for there too, those which are most able to move the sight happen to be the brightest of colors.
§25Τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον τῶν φωνῶν ταύτας ὑποληπτέον εἶναι λαμπροτάτας, μάλιστα δύνανται προσπίπτουσαι κινεῖν τὴν ἀκοήν.
In the same way, we must suppose those of voices to be brightest which, when they strike, are most able to move the hearing.
Τοιαῦται δέ εἰσν αἱ σαφεῖς καὶ πυκναὶ καὶ καθαραὶ καὶ πόρρω δυνάμεναι διατείνειν· καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις αἰσθητοῖς ἅπασι τὰ ἰσχυρότερα καὶ πυκνότερα καὶ καθαρώτερα σαφεστέρας ποιεῖ τὰς αἰσθήσεις.
And such are those that are distinct, dense, pure, and able to reach far; for in all other sensible things as well, those that are stronger, denser, and purer make the sensations clearer.
§26Δῆλον δέ· τὸ γὰρ τελευταῖον αἱ φωναὶ πᾶσαι γίγνονται κωφαί, τοῦ ἀέρος ἤδη διαχεομένου.
And this is clear; for in the end all voices become dull, the air already being diffused.
Δῆλον δʼ ἐστὶ κἀπὶ τῶν αὐλῶν.
And it is clear also in the case of auloi.
Τὰ γὰρ ἔχοντα τῶν δευτέρων τὰς γλώττας πλαγίας μαλακωτέραν μὲν ἀποδίδωσι τὴν φωνήν, οὐχ ὁμοίως δὲ λαμπράν· τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα φερόμενον εὐθέως εἰς εὐρυχωρίαν ἐμπίπτει, καὶ οὐκέτι φέρεται σύντονον οὐσὲ συνεστηκός, ἀλλὰ διεσκεδασμένον.
For those among the second class which have the reeds sloping yield a softer voice, but not similarly bright; for the breath as it travels immediately falls into a wide space, and is no longer carried with tension nor compacted, but scattered.
§27Ἐν δὲ ταῖς σκληροτέραις γλώτταις ἡ φωνὴ γίνεται σκληροτέρα καὶ λαμπροτέρα, ἂν πιέσῃ τις αὐτὰς μᾶλλον τοῖς χείλεσι, διὰ τὸ φέρεσθαι τὸ πνεῦμα βιαιότερον.
But with harder reeds, the voice becomes harder and brighter if one presses them more with the lips, because the breath is carried more violently.
Αἱ μὲν οὖν λαμπραὶ τῶν φωνῶν γίγνονται διὰ τὰς εἰρημένας αἰτίας· παρὸ καὶ δοκοῦσιν οὐ χείρους εἶναι τῶν λευκῶν αἱ καλούμεναι φαιαί.
Thus, bright voices are produced for the reasons mentioned; wherefore also those called "grey" are thought to be not inferior to "white" ones.
§28Πρὸς γὰρ τὰ πάθη καὶ τὰς πρεσβυτέρας ἡλικίας μᾶλλον ἁρμόττουσιν αἱ τραχύτεραι καὶ μικρὸν ὑποσυγκεχυμέναι καὶ μὴ λίαν ἔχουσαι τὸ λαμπρὸν ἐκφανές.
For they are more suited to passions and to older ages—namely, those voices which are rougher and slightly muffled, and do not have their brightness overly conspicuous.
Ἅμα δὲ καὶ διὰ τὴν συντονίαν οὐχ ὁμοίως εἰσὶν εὐπειθεῖς.
At the same time, because of their tension, they are not similarly obedient.
Τὸ γὰρ βίᾳ φερόμενον δυσταμίευτον. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐπιτεῖναι ῥᾴδιον, ὡς βούλεταί τις, οὔτε ἀνιέναι.
For that which is carried by force is difficult to regulate; for it is neither easy to tighten as one wishes, nor to slacken.
§29Ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν αὐλῶν γίγνονται αἱ φωναὶ λαμπραί, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὀργάνων, ὅταν τὸ ἐκπῖπτον πνεῦμα πυκνὸν ᾖ καὶ σύντονον.
And in the case of auloi and other instruments, voices become bright when the escaping breath is dense and tense.
Ἀνάγκη γὰρ καὶ τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἀέρος τοιαύτας γίγνεσθαι τὰς πληγάς, καὶ μάλιστα τὰς φωνὰς οὕτω διαπέμπεσθαι συνεστώσας πρὸς τὴν ἀκοήν, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰς ὀσμὰς καὶ τὸ φῶς καὶ τὰς θερμότητας.
For it is necessary that the blows upon the external air also become of such a kind, and especially that the voices are thus transmitted in a compacted state to the hearing, just like odors, light, and heat.
§30Καὶ γὰρ πάντα ταῦτα ἀραιότερα φαινόμενα πρὸς τὴν αἴσθησιν ἀσημότερα γίγνεται, καθάπερ καὶ οἱ χυλοὶ κραθέντες τῷ ὕδατι καὶ ἑτέροις χυλοῖς.
For all these things, when they appear rarer to the sensation, become less distinct, just as flavors mixed with water and other flavors.
Τὸ γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ παρέχον αἴσθησιν ἀσαφεῖς ἑκάστῳ ποιεῖ τὰς δυνάμεις.
For that which provides a sensation of itself makes the powers indistinct for each.
§31Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ὀργάνων οἱ τῶν κεράτων ἦχοί πυκνοὶ καὶ συνεχεῖς πρὸς τὸν ἀέρα προσπίπτοντες ποιοῦσι τὰς φωνὰς ἀμαυράς· διὸ δεῖ τὸ κέρας τὴν φύσιν ἔχειν τῆς αὐξήσεως ὁμαλὴν καὶ λείαν καὶ μὴ ταχέως ἐκδεδραμηκυῖαν.
But among other instruments, the sounds of horns, striking the air in a dense and continuous manner, make the voices dull; wherefore the horn must have the nature of its growth smooth and even, and not rapidly shot up.